It seemed like it would never end.
The Jefferson City Jays and the Western (Ky.) Warriors decided to make the first round of the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic at Fleming Fieldhouse a long one by playing four overtime periods.
In the end, it was the Warriors making the plays to win 76-71, sending the Jays (4-3) to today's consolation semifinals against Father Tolton. Game time is 5:30 p.m.
"I still feel like we have our best basketball ahead of us," Jays coach Blair Thompson said. "In games like this you always hope it will help us reach that potential."
The Warriors scored the first five points of the fourth overtime to lead 70-65 with 1:35 left.
Western extended its lead to 74-68 with :30 left, but Chuck Cooper drained a 3 to keep the Jays alive.
Unfortunately for Jefferson City, the Warriors were able to run more than half the remaining time off before making two free throws for the final points of the game.
The Jays got three 3-pointers up in the final 12 seconds, but none went through the basket. Jefferson City finished 11-of-31 from deep, including 5-of-13 for Hudson Nilges. Nilges scored 21 for the Jays.
Kamari Balton made a couple 3-pointers on his way to a team-high 25 points. cooper and Brennan Jeffries each chipped in 11 points.
The Jays had a hard time stopping Oneal Swint. The 6-foot-3 forward went 10-of-16 from the floor on his way to a game-high 27 points and 12 rebounds.
"He's a good player. He's a handfull," Thompson said.
Balton knocked down a 3 with a hand in his face to help force overtime. The bucket came with 2:10 left in regulation and neither team could score the rest of the quarter.
Jeffries hit a 3 from the wing late in the first overtime to get the Jays within one.
Cooper got a steal and a free throw to tie the game at 47 with 1:10 left in the first overtime period.
The Jays had a chance to win it, but their shot and tip didn't go in.
The Jays survived the second overtime as the Warriors made 1-of-2 free throws with 3 seconds left to tie it at 54.
The Jays could only get a long heave following the rebound off the missed free throw.
"We have yet to put together a sharp game together," Thompson said. " We played from behind a lot tonight and we're still trying to sharpen up in the halfcourt."
The Warriors began the third overtime period with a 3 from Tyon Pearson. Jeffries answered with a 3 of his own.
The Jays took the lead with a pair of Balton free throws, but Pearson tied it with a layup at the other end.
The teams traded free throws before Nilges made a jumper to make it 63-61 with 1:05 left.
Swint and Balton traded buckets before Swint got a layup at the buzzer to send it to a fourth overtime period.